My Uechi Ryu notes
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Testing
Q. What is Karate?
A. Karate is an Unarmed or empty handed method of self defense, stressing punches, kicks and blocks.
Q. What does the word KARATE mean?
A. Karate simply means “Empty hand”, translated from 2 Japanese words: KARA=empty, and TE=hand. An empty handed form of self defense.
Q. What is Karate Do?
A. The word “DO” means “THE WAY”. Karate Do means: The Way of Karate, or Karate as a way of life. It refers to the ability to use one’s mental, physical and spiritual skills acquired through Karate in one’s everyday life.
Q. What is Uechi-Ryu Karate?
A. Uechi-Ryu Karate is a form of empty handed techniques based on a Chinese-Okinawan system of self-defense.
Q. What does the word “RYU” mean?
A. “RYU” is a Japanese word meaning style. Uechi-Ryu Karate means Uechi Style Karate.
Q. Where was Okinawan karate first introduced, and by whom was it introduced?
A. Okinawan Karate was first introduced to Japan by Gichin Funakoshi, who studied a form of Chinese Boxing during the late 1800′s. Funakoshi’s style of Karate was later named Shotokan.
Q. What country is considered to be the birthplace of the Martial Arts?
A. China is considered to be the birthplace of the martial arts.
Q. What is the Chinese name for Uechi-Ryu, and what does it mean?
A. Pangai-noon (Pwong-Gay-Noon) is the Chinese name for the style we now study. It means half hard – half soft.
Q. When was the word Uechi-Ryu first used?
A. The name Uechi-Ryu was first used in 1948, when Kanbun Uechi died, Kanbun’s students renamed the style out of respect for their teacher. The style’s name was changed from Pangai-noon to Uechi-Ryu.
Q. Who was Kanbun Uechi? (May 5, 1877–November 25, 1948)
A. Kanbun Uechi was an Okinawan in whose honor this style of Karate is named. In 1897, Kanbun Uechi left Okinawa For China to study Chinese Boxing. He studied in Fukien province in Southern China for ten years. He was the first non-Chinese to teach in China, and taught there for a total of 3 years. he was in China for a total of 13 years.
Q. Who was Kanbun Uechi’s teacher?
A. Kanbun’s teacher was Chou-Tzo-Ho (Jo-Zu-Ho), also know as Shushiwa; also known as Shushabu.
Q. Why did Kanbun leave China?
A. Kanbun left China and vowed never to teach Karate again after one of his students became involved in a fight over a land dispute and was forced to defend himself. The student killed the attacker in the process. Due to public scorn and shame over this matter, Kanbun left China and returned to Okinawa.
Q. When did Kanbun Uechi begin teaching again?
A. Kanbun began to teach again while living in Japan. He began teaching an Okinawan named Ryuyu Tomoyose and a select group of Okinawans.
Q. What three animals is Uechi-Ryu Karate based on?
A. This style of karate is based on the TIGER, the CRANE and the DRAGON.
Q. What are the three original katas of the system, and what do their names mean?
Q. What else did Kanbun bring back from China in addition to the 3 original katas?
A. Kotekitai, sparring and Chinese medicine.
Q. Who is Kanei Uechi? (June 26, 1911–February 1991)
A. Kanei Uechi is the son of Kanbun Uechi. He was the first Okinawan Master to teach Uechi-Ryu Karate to westerners.
Q. Who was Kanei Uechi’s teacher?
A. Kanei’s teacher was Kanbun Uechi – his father.
Q. When did Kanei Uechi begin to study Karate?
A. Kanei Uechi began to study Karate in 1927 at the age of 16.
Q. Where was Kanei Uechi’s Dojo located?
A. Kanei’s dojo is located in Futenma, Okinawa; and is now operated by his son, Kanmei Uechi
Q. Who is Kanmei Uechi?
A. Kanmei Uechi is the son of Kanei Uechi. He holds the rank Kyudan 10th Degree Black Belt and is the President of the Uechi Ryu Karate Association.
Q. Who is George Mattson?
A. George Mattson was the first American to teach Uechi-Ryu Karate in the United States and has written several authoritative texts pertaining to our style of Karate.
Q. Who was George Mattson’s teacher?
A. Ryuko Tomoyose was his teacher. Ryuko was the son of Ryuyu, who was Kanbun’s first student when he returned to Okinawa.
Q. Who is Buzz Durkin?
A. Holds Ninth degree Black Belt. He received Shodan in 1969 and opened his school in 1974. He owns and operates the largest and most successful school in the country. He has won numerous national and international awards.
Q. What is the Butokukai?
Q. What are the 8 katas of Uechi Ryu?
Q. What is Min-chin-chi-ryu?
A. Aerm used by Kanbun to describe Pangainoon. It translates to “Speed with Glare”
Q. What are the 8 virtues of a black belt?
Q. What are the Dan ranks?
Q. What are the Kyu ranks?
Q. What is the capital city of Okinawa?
A. Naha is the capital of Okinawa.
Q. What is the formal name for arm rubbing/arm pounding?
A. Kotekitai
Q. What is “MUSHIN”?
A. “MUSHIN” is a Japanese term meaning no mindedness; clearing one’s mind of distractions.
Q. How is a Dojo different from a Gym?
A. Inside a Dojo there are a number of rules concerning respect within the Dojo: Respect for one’s teacher and fellow students and etiquette which are not necessarily present in a gym. The Dojo is a place where one learns the Way of Karate as the Way of Life.
Q. Why do students bow before and after each Kata and before and after working with another student?
A. The Bow is a sign of respect. We bow before each Kata, first as a sign of respect for the person before whom we are performing the Kata, be it our Sensei or a senior student. Secondly, by bowing one asks the senior student to watch and to promise to try one’s best.
Q. What was the opening date for White Mountain Karate?
A. March 7th 2010